The forgotten island of the black peacock
by The pact of Roses
Summary: A misterious island, lost in the Pacific Ocean, attracted the Queen Victoria's attention, who wished to conquer a lot of coal because the industries of England needed it. The colonel Anna Cavendish will have to go to explore this wonderful oriental island called Hokkaido but, the daughter of a God, Queen Elsa, will make her reflect: which side Anna will choose? (Elsanna)
1. Travelling toward Hokkaido

**THE FORGOTTEN ISLAND OF THE BLACK PEACOCK**

**Hi everybody! **

**This is my third fan fiction and in this story I wanted to create a sort of magical and Zen atmosphere: It will be a real walk inside of the analysis of the protagonist's soul. I used an elegant style of writing because I think It's the best to describe the historical period where I placed the story and for the description of places and for the different aspects of characters' mind.**

**I thought that It would have been a nice idea sharing with you some of the emotion I felt during the creation of this story.**

**I don't want to be boring but let me give you an advice, when the first thought came on my mind I was listening the song " Pale" sang by the group called Within Temptation.**

**Now try to figure in your mind some images of a forgotten island, lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where the habits are very old and the culture is the same of the Japanese one. In that story I'll talk about the era of the colonization and of all Its conquers on the East part of the globe.**

**Forgive me If you'll notice some mistakes about some historical details or grammar mistakes, I'm an Italian girl so my grammar is a bit poor.**

**Said this, I wish you a good read! ;)**

Lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hidden on a milky mist, there was a forgotten archipelago of islands called Japan: It was famous for Its trade of rice but also for Its precious tissues and Its culture was based on the respect among all the social classes. But my Queen wasn't interested on that kind of stuff, during that period; England was expanding Its confines to explore new territories to catch-all the natural materials It hadn't: It was the era of the Colonization. New inventions took place all around the world as the first gun, cars, many new machinery, a lot of wars were at the gate and to work, many of the military new inventions needed a lot of coal: England didn't have that primal material so, the Queen Victoria was blaming to conquer a little island, called Hokkaido, in the oriental part of the globe, to grasp from It all Its natural mines of that particular rock.

I always remember the day my story began: It was a temperate day of June and I was polishing my sword and my armor, when a page-boy ran into the military training field, yelling my name.

" MISS CAVENDISH! MISS CAVENDISH!"

The little boy was yelling too much so, snorting, I leaned on my bed the little rag, dirty of grease, and I went out of my room. He opened wide his enormous brow eyes as he saw me.

" A-Are y-You Miss Anna Cavendish?"

I nodded noticing how much scared he was, his body was completely shaking despite I was a woman.

" Yes I am! What do you want page-boy?"

" T-The queen …"

He breathed hardly and tried to pronounce better his speech to avoid any bad figure: he was so little and vulnerable that If I blew he surely would pulverized.

" T-The queen want to talk to you now … Into the throne room!"

My body became tensed suddenly: It was strange that the Queen Victoria wanted to talk with me with emergency; surely there was an extremely serious reason behind that call. I ran towards the castle and, escorted by two regal guards, I entered in the regal room where the queen was sat on her gold throne.

With a little shake of her right hand, Victoria obliged the two guards to get out from the room and then she stood up.

" My queen …"

I immediately bowed in front of her to avoid being not respectable and she gave me the permission to raise my head from my kneeled place.

" I know you respect me Anna, so please, stand up! I called you here with emergency because I want to promote you!"

My breast burned under the happiness: did she really want to promote my grade?

" Anna you are the person I trust most between all the guards! You put a total commitment into your job! You are my right arm and one of the four colonels of my army! So I'm promoting you because I want you to be the captain of the future expedition in the East part of the Globe! You know we have a colony in Singapore, you can stop there and place your base … You also know that we are having a big evolution of industries so, England need a lot of coal! I heard a lot of stories about an archipelago lost on the Pacific Ocean, directly under China, between these islands, there's one called Hokkaido: It's difficult to find but It's full of these wonderful rocks! There's so much coal hidden on Its subsoil to aliment an entire nation for decades!"

Her grey eyes shined under her happiness and her wish.

" So Anna … I want that you, and a hundred of your most trusted soldiers, will seal towards that Island and try to convince the king of that wonderful place, to make an alliance with England!"

_Does she really trust me so much?! I … I don't know If I'll be able to carry out that important role! But I'll try!_

" As you wish my Queen!"

I bowed again and she smiled kindly.

" You survived at a lot of internal conflicts and little expeditions in France and Spain! You also won against the poverty of your district where you were born so, I'm sure you'll be perfect for that grade!"

" Thank you my queen! Now I'll go to the military training field to choose my best warriors!"

I kissed her hand and she gently caressed my cheek.

" Your expedition will begin among three days so hurry colonel! I need that coal!"

I ran out from the castle, I haven't enough time to do my personal choice; I only trusted a couple of men, Kristoff and Hans, among the hundreds soldiers of my personal area of the army.

As my queen wished and ordered, I was able to select hundred trusted men and as planned, after three days my ship left England and sailed towards that mysterious island. We stopped a Singapore, as Victoria suggested me during the planning of my travel and I provided all our provisions.

I was so scared for what I was going to do but my queen trusted me so I couldn't fail my mission.

It was our eightieth day of traveling on the sea when we finally saw a group of a lot of islands hidden on a milky mist, the same mist Queen Victoria told me, we were arrived!

With the help of a man, we captured on the first island of that archipelago, we docked at and we entered in the confines of Hokkaido. Despite Han's intentions I decided to not torture that man and he kindly explained us a lot of details on the strange culture of the place we were going to visit.

" If you tortured him he surely would told us more details colonel Cavendish!"

" Hans … He's a poor man, we offered him a good lunch and a warm bed where to sleep … He was in debit with us so for extinguish his debt he told us every details he knew about that island! If I tortured him I would surely kill him! You know I don't approve tortures!"

Hans bowed in front of me and nodded.

" As you wish my colonel!"

My eyes were lost on the blurry skyline: the little and strange man, we "borrowed", told me that on that Island, the population venerated a son of a God, and he was the king of that island. No one ever saw that " king " but there were legends on that mysterious profile which narrated that It was a queen and not a king.

At four miles from the coast, some little icebergs attired my attention, we were traveling towards a dense ring of mist which, the man told us, was all around the island as a natural protection against enemies.

How many piece of ice we were going to meet?! That sounded dangerous to me.

" KRISTOFF! PAY ATTENTION AT THE ICEBERGS! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!"

_That sound so strange, the temperature is tempered, how could icebergs be there?_

Kristoff, who was at the helm, did a great work and after an hour we thrown, safe and sound, our anchor into an azure pastel water. We carried the man with us and slowly we leant our feet on a soft and white sand of a beach covered of grey and pink cliffs and little bushed of violet flowers.

Gidayu, the man who helped us to reach the island of Hokkaido, accompanied us towards a lot of fields full of flowers and a lot of woods full of trees of different colors till we reached a little village.

I was amazed by the wonderful landscapes and I really was trusting the man who was guiding us: but, was I making the good choice?

Kristoff seemed amazed as me but Hans was extremely serious, I turned my head to see what kind of feelings my little army was feeling and contrasting expressions made my heart jumped a beat … Was I behaving as a good captain of the expedition?!

The speech of the queen re-echoed into my head …

_If It's necessary, you can intimidate the king using a bit of violence and … If things will go totally wrong, send me a letter and I'll start the war! Remember Anna, I want that alliance, but first I wish most to have the coal so … Bring it to me despite what will happen!_

Wonderful white terraced houses made entirely of wood were on each side of the path we were walking on. After another hour of walk, an enormous and elegant castle, made with the same style of the other houses, appeared in front of us: two men, dressed with a white armor and a blue plumed helmet, extracted both their swords to stop our passage.

_It's normal If they pointed towards us their swords, we presented in front of them as an army of one hundred men all dressed with armors, we have the aspects of a foreign population who wants to start a war! _

Gidayu immediately started to talk with them with his foreign language and they lowered their arms: then, the man told me that only the captain of the expedition could meet their God so I decided to go, leaving at Kristoff and Hans the temporary administration of the rest of the troop.

We walked on a thousand of rungs and at the end, I finally reached the room of the throne, where their queen was: I was so excited and afraid of what was going to happen, all about that island was amazing and beautiful and peaceful, how was the queen I was going to talk with?

The man kindly offered himself to be my personal interpreter in exchange of other four meals and I accepted. I had to leave my sword, the chest of my armor and my little gun at the entrance of the castle so I was totally vulnerable If they would attacked me.

A wonderful perfume of flowers accompanied me during my walk and, when I entered in the regal room, I suddenly felt a cold breeze which created goose bumps on my back: In front of me, a beautiful shape of a woman, hidden behind a paper divider, stood up and everybody on the room bowed at her graze, me too.

" So you are the person who wants to talk with me! What do you wish to have from me and my island?"

… _Is she talking my language?! It's unbelievable! How could she …?!_

Gigayu seemed astonished as me.

" Hi queen of Hokkaido! I bring you the homages of Victoria the queen of …"

" Didn't Victoria teach you good manners? What's your name?"

I blushed for the ignoble figure I made, she was totally right and her voice was so sensual and authoritative …

" I'm Anna Cavendish my queen!"

" I'm queen Elsa, the first daughter of the clan Tokugawa and the queen of Hokkaido! What does your queen want from me?"

" Victoria is the queen of England … She wants to make an alliance with you, queen Elsa! She'll guarantee you a lot of supplies and technological devices, If you'll give her the coal on the subsoil of that island!"

I heard her giggle a bit, her shadow seemed so perfect behind that pale yellow wall.

" How can I make an alliance with a queen who was too lazy to come here and sent one of her best warrior? She surely trust you a lot Miss Cavendish, do you know that?"

I literary was out of words and breaths, she was so authoritative but also so arrogant and despite of all she was right: I knew that my queen had to administrate our state and because of that she couldn't come but, queen Elsa made me thought.

" She couldn't because she had to administrate our state, queen Elsa!"

" That sounds quite funny! Doesn't she have a husband?"

" I'm sorry queen Elsa, but she hasn't!"

" I got It! But … She trusted you so much to send you here … Why didn't she do the same for the administration of her state?"

I was completely in difficulty, I wasn't able to make her ratiocinate and I didn't want to intimidate or hurt her because she was sounding so pure …

_I can do It! I can do It! Victoria trusted me! _

" We travelled for three months to come here! England is living a period of wars and she really can't leave her throne for such a long time!"

" If you are saying that, It means that your queen isn't a good one because England is under a continuous threat of imminent wars! So, tell me, Miss Cavendish, how can I make an alliance with that queen? I always been neutral and I've never made any alliances! A lot of persons offered me a lot of richness If I would give them the coal but I've always refused! How could you think to be capable of convincing me?"

I swear to God that I heard the sound of her smile curving her cheeks.

" If you will give us some of your coal, my queen, we will give you a lot of new inventions! I noticed that your island is full of cultivated fields … We have a lot of new machinery that can massively cut the work of men, with our inventions you can travel the sea with big boats which are a thousand times faster than a normal one! I know Queen Elsa, you aren't interested on wars, but we can give arms that can kill a person from high distances, just pressing a button … I'm sorry that you don't trust my queen but I can say that she's a good one! When I was a child, I was orphan and poor, so poor that I had to learn how to rob to survive! At the age of eleven I was a criminal and I had just killed a person only for the want of survive! A day, when I was twelve, guards captured me and brought me in front of her to be executed for my crimes … When Queen Victoria saw me and noticed my desperate conditions she gave me a second chance! She appreciated my determination and offered me a place into her army, saying that she would forgive me If I would hug the justice and applied my quality on that side! Well now I'm her most trusted woman among thousands of men! She behaved with me as a mother …"

_Do whatever you want queen Elsa but don't you dare saying again, that Victoria isn't a good queen! For me she was a mum! _

" So she surely isn't that bad but … What will she say when you'll come back with a fist of smoke on your hands?"

" I … I don't know! But I'll assume all my faults! She asked me to do that and I promised to do my best but I can't oblige you to make that alliance!"

" You surely are a brave girl Miss Cavendish but, What will you do If your queen will justice you?"

_Queen Elsa surely likes to put me to the test!_

" I'll accept my fate!"

I literary was going to cry but I didn't want to seem weak in front of Queen Elsa.

" You have also the soul of a respectable warrior! What did she tell you to do If I refused the alliance?"

" Honestly she told me to intimidate you and after to send her a letter with the summit, to start the war …"

" Hmm I've understood! What do you think about that, Miss Cavendish?"

" I don't want to intimidate or hurt you nor start a war … This island is so beautiful and peaceful that It would be a pity ruin all the landscapes and kill a lot of innocent people! An alliance would be the best solution!"

The queen laughed.

" She told you to … Intimidate me?! She surely doesn't know who I am! I give you the permission to stay here for the time the letter will take to reach your England and the answer to come back!"

She suddenly snapped her fingers and a cold breeze went in through a window and made me shiver: What was happening? Did she create that breeze?

" Send her that message: You'll stay here till she will reach Hokkaido! I don't care If this will take two or three months or a year! You and your little army will stay here as my prisoners! And … When she'll come, I'll show her myself!"

" What? … My majesty I have to go back to England to help my queen …"

I literary was out of breaths: How could she trap us here? She couldn't! But she did It!

" It doesn't matter! If she really blames so much my coal, she has to come here and talk with me face to face! I respect you, Miss Cavendish but your queen has to respect her responsibilities!"

_If she really can create a cold breeze with just a snap of her fingers, she can kill us with no difficulties! I have to pay attention and I want to bring back all my men! I have no choices, I failed my queen! I totally failed! Please, don't make me suffer If my destiny will end as soon as I'll come back!_

" Have you heard what I said, Miss Cavendish? You can choose, If you'll agree I'll detain you here as my hosts and we won't hurt you But … If you will choice to run away from that island without my permission or one of your men will hurt someone of my people, I'll kill you all in five seconds!"

My blood froze into my veins, I was right when I thought how much dangerous she was: I could choose but there was only one safe choice.

" We will stay here my queen! Thank you for your benevolence! Now I'm going to talk with all my little army to explain my choice and If someone of my warriors will hurt anybody of your people, I'll personally pay with my life for that kind of outrage! If I'll die no one will cry for me but all my warriors have a family and children to feed … So please, If something bad will happen, kill me and not my warriors! I'll sacrifice myself for a good reason!"

The queen seemed to be out of words for a while and then I heard her release a deep breath.

" I'm moved for your courage Miss Cavendish! And for that reason I'll accept your request but … If, after your death someone will do something bad I'll kill everybody without thinking on that! Now my personal guards will show you where you'll stay with your warriors! You can go now!"

" Your majesty!"

I bowed deeper than I was and then I left the room with Gidayu: two guards accompanied us to a little village behind the castle; I explained what kind of pact I made with the queen and everybody laid on a comfortable bed made of goose feathers. I was worried for Hans' possible reaction but he agreed without saying anything. Every house contained four warriors so we occupied an entire village of twenty-five houses, I was the last one to be placed but Gidayu told me that I had to live in the castle because my life was the price of any kind of outrage.

The guards opened me a door entirely decorated with a white and blue marquetry and my personal interpreter was located on a nearby room. I get undressed from my armor, when the two guards went out and on the bed, I found a strange dress.

_Am I obliged to wear this? _

I knocked on the door of Gidayu's room and he explained me that the dress was a kimono, a habit of the entire archipelago and I had to wear that, to show my respect for their customs. I went again inside my room thanking my new friend and I studied the dress: It was surely beautiful because It was dark blue with white flowers embroidered on Its soft tissue, but I never wore a shirt … NEVER!

I was lying on the comfortable bed when a piece of paper glided from the rent of the door to my pavement. I took It and I read the message:

_Take a bath, wear the kimono and be ready for dinner which will be served when the sun will rise down. A guard will go with you to our personal thermal baths and then to the room where you will take your dinner._

I've just finished reading the message that someone knocked at my door, It was the guard. We walked inside the castle till we went outside into an enormous garden and, after ten minutes, I started to smell the perfume of sulfur, we were near the baths. The guard showed me my personal bath and pointed with a finger, all the stuff I had to use to clean my body and then he left the little woody room.

I was completely alone and I had my personal enormous pool: I got undressed with a bit of shame and I opened the door which was at the entrance of the outside thermal bath.

_I hope that no one can see me naked! Fortunately there's wall of rocks all around the area that cover me, but I'm a bit suspicious!_

I brought with me some perfumed oils and a couple of white towels and then I leaned a foot on the water to taste the temperature: It was pleasantly hot. I entered completely with my body on the enormous pool and I swam a bit all around the little lake. After twenty minutes my body felt reinvigorated and I noticed a little hole in one of the rocks walls. I went outside the water and quietly I approached my eye to the hole to see what there was on the other side and I noticed her: I recognized the same shape of the body, Queen Elsa was taking a bath exactly near me!

I only saw her shoulders because she was going out when I peeked, but I noticed that on her graceful white skin of her back, there was an enormous and beautiful tattoo of a black peacock. She wore a pure white towel and she went out: how beautiful she was, I only saw her back and her platinum hair, which was tied into a lateral braid, but the shape of her body was simply amazing.

That was the first time I saw her and I'll never forget that.


	2. The beginning of confinment

**Hi everybody!**

**I'm happy to see that a lot of people have read this fan fiction and I would never thought that, only with the first chapter, I would reached such a good amount of followers and favorites!**

**- Quote taken from Kristoff : " I might cry!" :'D -**

**Thank you for your support!**

**I'm sorry because I found some mistakes of grammar in the previous chapter and I promise you I'll do my best to become better on this part!**

**Now let us turn back on the composed mode ;-) , when I wrote this second chapter I wanted to show how much the protagonist felt on her shoulders the weight of her sinful past and I choose a particular atmosphere:**

**I listened the song " My skin" sang by Nathalie Merchant and I chose the night as the perfect intimate place to clear a lot of turbulent thoughts.**

**The first twist in the tale will appear on that chapter without cutting nothing at the elegant style of writing (that I'm desperately trying to keep It untouched). :-)**

**I hope not to have bored you again ...**

**I wish you all a good and a pleasant read! ;-)**

When I finished to take my bath, I dried myself and then I was accompanied by the guard to my room: I've never had such a regal bath because of my poverty, I've always taken a big tub and filled It up with hot boiled water or during the summer I usually washed myself into some little rivers. My hair was soft thank to the strange and perfumed oil they gave me and my freckled skin was smelling of flowers. When I saw the dress leaned on my bed I remembered I had to wear It and my heart missed a beat: I never wore a shirt or a dress, I've always dressed my armor so I was completely inexperienced with that sort of things.

" How am I supposed to wear It?"

I saw my reflection into a nearby mirror and I felt a bit scared: a completely different and feminine Anna Cavendish was looking right towards me. I leaned a hand on the cold surface of the mirror because I rarely saw myself with my hair down.

_I'm not that bad! But nobody will notice that thing! I chose what I wanted to be and being feminine now doesn't matter!_

A sad expression curved my lips down and I finally wore the blue and strange dress.

_I hope that no one of my troop will do something stupid during the period we will stay here! I offered my life in exchange of their outrage … I'm not feared for my death, but I'm scared for what they could do!_

I asked at the guard who was outside my room, with the help of Gidayu, to have a carrier pigeon to send my message to the Queen Victoria and he gave it to me after twenty minutes. I took the animal on my right hand, I thanked the man for his work and then I picked a pencil from the woody little table which was near my bed.

_Dear majesty, I finally reached the island of Hokkaido and I met Its queen, who is venerated as a God. Her name is Elsa and she has a strange magical power: she used It to intimidate me. We talked about the alliance but she told me that she doesn't want to do It till you, my majesty, will reach the island too, to speak with her, face to face. I explained her many reasons about your choice to send me as your mouthpiece, but she wasn't interested on these. Now me and my troop, are both prisoners and hosts of her island. We will be free when you will come here, my majesty. I'm so sorry because I tried my best but I failed: I'll assume all my faults and I'll accept my desert as soon as we will come back to England even If It'll be my death. We can't escape because she'll kill us with her powers._

_Your colonel, Anna Cavendish_

I tied the piece of yellow paper at the pigeon's leg and then I sent It to England, opening the window, to my Queen. The guard knocked at my door and I understood It was time to take the dinner. I walked along a long corridor with Gidayu and the armored man till we reached a big room with a low-rise table on the middle and some white pillows all around It.

My personal interpreter explained me that I had to sit kneeled on a pillow because this was an important habit of the culture that I had to respect, so I agreed and I sat on my soft and strange little chair. I was a bit nervous and Gidayu tried to calm me but I counted three pillows: who would be the third?

The guard was the third mysterious commensal and we ate delicious little rolls made of rice, vegetable, fish and meat, Its name was sushi … I think, and we ate It using two chopsticks: I was able to eat only two of them and I ended the dinner still hungry.

I tried to sleep on my comfortable bed, but the thought of what I saw at the thermal bath made my sleep difficult to reach and the moonlight was so blinding that I decided to take a little walk to clear my thought. I couldn't go outside from my room and explore the castle, because probably the guard or the Queen would kill me, so I decided to open the window to take a look of the wonderful garden: I noticed that I was at the latest floor and the protruding proof seemed so inviting that I climbed It and I sat on It looking down the amazing view. I hugged my legs because of the cold air and I got lost on the blue pastel skyline: the gold shingles were reflecting the moonlight and all around the garden, a lot of difference species of flowers and trees were fluttering and dancing at the rhythm of the air.

_Please my Queen … Save us! _

A tiny tear ran on my cheek, for me that was the first time I cried.

" Are you trying to escape from here Miss Cavendish?"

I jumped for the scare and then I realized Queen Elsa was rightly behind me on the proof.

" No, my majesty! I'm just not able to sleep … I climbed here to make clearer my thoughts! I haven't any intention to run away from that beautiful island!"

She smiled.

" What a coincidence Miss … I'm used to climb here to clear my thoughts too, and I love the peace of the night and the charm this particular place can give you! Are you worried for your life?"

" My life isn't important! I'm just a sinful soul who is searching a lost peace! I'm just worried for my men! I've just sent the message at my Queen as you wished, my majesty, and now I'm waiting the answer and the development of my faith…"

I suddenly felt a cold hand leaning on my shoulder and on my skin appeared a bit of goose bump.

" I admire your courage and your purity! You are surely a good and a wise person …"

My nose smelled a perfume of white roses and I saw the shape of the Queen sitting near me with an elegant posture, but I hadn't the courage to turn my head to see her real aspect. A deep silence sucked us up and I felt the Queen's eyes on me, she surely was putting me to the test.

" Why aren't you watching me? Aren't you curious Miss Cavendish to know how I am?"

" I'm just respecting your order my majesty! You said you would show yourself only when my Queen would have come here!"

Two cold fingers grabbed my chin and I was forced to turn my head towards her, despite of her smile of satisfaction she was wonderful: her blue eyes were shining at the moonlight, her pale and with skin was perfect, her hair was gold above the reflection of the shingles and her lips were red and elegant.

" W-Why did you do that my majesty?"

" This is my gift for your courage Miss Cavendish!"

She suddenly stood up and after a while she disappeared from the proof, smiling. That really was her gift for my courage but my mind got totally trapped on the web of her beauty.

_Is she a good person or a bad one hidden beside a mask of a false purity?_

A cold morning arrived and my muscles needed their daily training, so I wore again the dress I always used under my armor and, under a wonderful pink sunrise, accompanied into the garden by my personal guard and Gigayu, I started to work on my abdomens. A freezing breeze made me shiver at the beginning, but I immediately loved the adrenalin rush I felt after. One hour was gone and my body was completely awaken, I was going to start the part of the training where I usually had to use my sword but I haven't one, so I gently tear off a dried branch from a tree. The guard laughed but I hadn't any other material to use.

Days started becoming a monotonous succession and I started losing my solid temperament: the day started fusing with the night and my only chance to feel alive again was the adrenaline rush I could feel during my trainings.

The fourth day of my confinement came and I decided to ask at Queen Elsa the permission to talk with my warriors, I would accept to see only Kristoff or Hans but she refused to give me that possibility.

" You can't Miss Cavendish! This the real test of your warriors' loyalty! You will wait here, in the castle, the arrival of your lazy Queen!"

I bowed and I went out from the throne room full of sadness for the deprivation I received and Gigayu tried again to calm me, also the guard tried the to do the same, with my astonishment, but they both failed: my imprisonment from that moment would be total.

Other two weeks passed and, despite all the night I was used to reach the top of the proof, I never saw again Queen Elsa. It was a cold night of the sixtieth day and no pigeons were on the horizon: I carried a blanked with me so I was capable to face the freezing breeze that was blowing wildly all around me. The moonlight was devilishly shining on the entire garden and the feeling of a pure solitude was entirely eating me and surrounding all the landscapes.

_Has my Queen totally forgotten about me? Oh please queen Victoria … Send me any sign, give me a reason to continue enduring my tormented imprisonment! This is surely another test of Queen Elsa … How devilish she is … _

But suddenly I remembered the night she showed me her real aspect and that piece of memory heated up a bit my frozen heart: I never believed to find such a beautiful woman on the throne of that island … But something dangerous was hidden inside the pure glance of her wonderful blue eyes.

… She had the same expression I had when I was a little criminal and my only aim was survive with all my strength.

My breaths were painting white roads of water vapor all around me and a black figure, hidden behind a tree attired my attention: It showed Itself at the moonlight and I discovered It was Hans!

I immediately stood up from my place throwing the blanket away from me and he made me the sign to wait him quietly: he climbed silently hanging on the clutter and after ten minutes he was in front of me. We hugged strongly and then I brought him on a hidden part of the proof to avoid being seen by the guards or caught by Queen Elsa .

" Hans! I'm so happy to see you here! The Queen denied me the permission to talk with you all! How is developing the situation on your village?"

We both started to whisper and my most trusted man's eyes shined of personal ambition.

" My colonel, on the village we are organizing a plan to escape from here without being seen!"

She smiled victoriously but a feeling of terror took Its place inside of me.

" Hans we can't do that! I'm here because I decided to sacrifice my life in exchange of any kind of your outrage … But If you'll escape from here, after my death, she surely would kill you all with just a snap of her fingers! Hans! I saw what she can do! She has dangerous powers! Hans … Please, Regain! I want the same but we can't! Hans … Please! You have a family to feed, as all the other men have! How can you believe to try to apply such a suicide plan?"

" Anna we can't stay here forever! You are right, I have a family and I have to go back to help my wife to feed my children! I … I want to see them grow! Did you realize this?! For our Queen Victoria, we are all pieces of meat to bring at the slaughterhouse! Anna … She will never arrive here to save us! Never! We will be blocked here forever!"

A tear ran down from Hans' cheek and my eyes became wet too: he was right, probably I was believing on something that would never been realized and the truth broke my heart. That night I realized, for the first time, I was completely alone and the life of a desperate thousand men was graving on my shoulders. As the captain of the expedition I had to do my best to protect them all and I couldn't do nothing despite of trying to calm their tumultuous souls feeding them with lies. I grabbed both Hans' shoulders and I tried to make him ratiocinate.

" Hans … Hans … Please regain, I … I know It's difficult to endure this imprisonment but we have to hold up another bit! We have to do It to survive!"

" BUT I CAN'T!"

He pushed me away and I made some steps moving back trying to not fall: his black eyes were full of madness and desperation, he was completely out of control.

" How … How could you say that we have to stay here and probably die here … For our best? YOU ARE SAYING US THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DIE HERE LIVING OUR FAMILY ALONE AND LETTING OUR BELOVED DYING! HOW COULD YOU…?!"

He was so fast, moved by his desperation, that I was able to deviate only a half of his fist and a little knife penetrated on the tissues of my right side. He always was a fire head but I never thought that one day he would tried to kill me!

Grinning my teeth to suffocate a yell of pure pain on my throat, I extracted the little blade from my wound, I threw It far away from us and then I punched him strongly on his chin.

The pain for his betrayal was bigger than my injury's one: How Could he stab me? How could he stab the trust I was feeling for him?

I felt the heat of the blood running towards my right leg, but I ignored It: I took him by the collar of his white t-shirt and I blocked his back against the wall of a funnel.

" Hans! Look into my eyes … Hans! You have to regain! You have to focus … You will see both of your children If you'll listen to me! Trust me Hans! Trust me please! I sent a pigeon at Queen Victoria and she answered me that among four moths she'll be here to take us and bring everybody back!"

I lied, but I hadn't any choices: his eyes seemed back to normal and his madness left him for a moment.

" Are … Are you lying?!"

" No Hans! I'm saying the truth! Please! Don't stop looking into my eyes!"

I grabbed firmly his head between my cold hands and I leaned my forehead on his one.

" We have only to endure our prison for other four months! Are you able to do this for your family?! The money you are earning from this expedition are all going to your family and they are living a wonderful and a comfortable life, Hans! Thanks for your hard work on this troop! So don't stop believing in our Queen! And try to do your best as you are still doing!"

Hans nodded crying for the little light of hope I had given him but after a while, His eyes colored of a dark black.

" I'm … I'm sorry for what I did to you Anna … You trusted me and I … I tried to kill you! How can I endure other four months If after only two weeks I lost my mind?!"

His eyes were so vivid and pure.

" I'm hopeless my colonel! When you will go back … Please take care of Mery, Chris and Joseph …"

He gently pushed me away again and he walked towards the end of the proof, when he reached the confine he turned towards me and smiled gratefully.

" Hans wait … What are you doing?"

I tried to walk as faster as I could toward him because I understood his intentions, but my wound slowed my movements: He opened his arms and a peaceful expression curved his lips into a desperate smile.

" HANS … NO!"

" Thank you Anna! I'm sorry …"

The latest tear ran on his face and his body slowly left the proof falling down towards the garden: with a desperate jump I was able to catch one of his hands but his weight was too much for me and for my wound to endure.

" Hans … AGH! PLEASE! Enter … GGH! ENTER IN MY ROOM from my window and you'll BE SAFE! I … I can't endure …. I CAN'T! P-Please! AAGH!"

I felt the bone of my left shoulder slowly going outside from Its guide.

" Hans … PLEEASE!"

I started crying but there was no possibilities to save him, with a little push he freed her hand and after few seconds his body reached the surface of the garden.

" HANS! …No … NO! DAMN IT!"

I punched some shingles of the proof and my right hand started bleeding a bit: I got kneeled and my face fast became full of dancing tears. My eyes got lost on the pale horizon trying to search any form of help … Trying to jump in the past just a few second to save Hans!

" This is the price of being a captain Miss Cavendish!"

I heard some footsteps behind me and I recognized her authoritative voice.

" I tried my best … But I failed! How … How can I say at his family that he's dead? That's all my fault …"

I smiled a bit and I felt the astonishment of Queen Elsa.

" This is the price of being a captain … As you said … And This is also the price I have to pay for being such a sinful soul! I'll tell his family he was a brave warrior and he did his best to serve our Queen and protect our state! This time I wouldn't lie! GHH!"

My opened wound sent me a flash of pure pain and I covered It with my left hand.

" I always stayed behind you every night Miss Cavendish … Always! And I saw everything …"

I turned my face, astonished, to see her serious blue eyes.

" Tell me Anna … What should I do with you now?"

My body moved automatically towards his feet and, kneeling, I grabbed between my ignoble dirty hands her white kimono: I started crying again and loudly, I literary was begging her for a bit of benevolence before accepting my faith.

" Please, my majesty! Let me burn him and gather together his remains into a funerary urn, to bring him back to his family! Then, you can kill me as we agreed! But please my majesty … Give me your latest grace!"

Despite my loud sobs of a pure desperation a deep breath caught my attention: two cold hands grabbed me strongly and my body was completely raised up from Its kneeled place.

" Now I'll nurse you and then, when you'll be completely out of danger, you can burn your friend but … After all these things I'll decide what I'll do with your life!"

She picked me up and carried me between her cold and strong arms for a lot of corridors: I smelled her delicious perfume of white roses from her delicate neck, I felt for a while the sensation to see the heaven into her blue eyes but suddenly my eyes closed and I fainted.


	3. Blood and roses

**Hola a todos!**

**This chapter is shorter than the previous two because, If I've added some other details It would become too long! … And I wanted to "close" the first part of my story, with that chapter: in the next one I'll talk about Hans' funeral and other strange and romanced stuff. **

**I'm so happy to see so many followers and favorites! Thank you all for following this fan fiction! 3**

**I'm desperately trying to keep untouched the elegant style of writing, but It's very, very, very difficult! **

**As I've just said, with this chapter I'm going to close the first part ( of many ) of my story: the frozen relationship between Queen Elsa and Anna will have a change … Will It be a good or a bad one? ;)**

**To write this chapter I listened a lot of epic songs and If you want to listen some of them here's the link:**

** watch?v=el5FjZe_V8Q&index=50&list=LLaNtkYxqTG-6pIYA05ra2_w**

**In this chapter I desperately tried to describe the extreme elegance and cuteness of the authoritative Queen Elsa and the strength of Anna Cavendish. **

**If you'll find some mistakes of grammar, forgive me but I'm trying my best to remove all of them! **

**What do you think about my fan fiction? How It is? Leave me a comment and I'll be able to understand what changes I can make to improve the plot! ;)**

**Said that, I wish you a good read!**

I was in front of a white door, lost in the middle of nowhere, all around there were bushes of white roses and I could smell their wonderful perfume: It was delicate and inebriate … Was that the gate of the heaven?

I moved some steps towards the closed woody door and I leaned a hand on his inlays: a bloody track of my hand got printed on the surface.

_What?_

I looked the palm and I noticed my hand was completely dirty of blood: suddenly I started feeling sick for the enormous amount of pain my right side was sending me and I noticed my stomach was completely red …. Red because of the blood … My blood!

I didn't scream. Probably I was dying and I would accept my fate, but there was someone who was calling me, so I turned my head and I saw a blurry shape of a woman, who was running towards me. The light she was emanating was the same of the gate, but hers was warmer and her opened arms reassured me: I understand she would be my real heaven, so I ran towards her but when we hugged, happily, everything fell into the darkness again and a voice started calling my name.

" Miss Cavendish … Miss Cavendish!"

_Who's calling me?_

" Miss Cavendish please … Open your eyes!"

_That authoritative voice … I know who's from … Could she be …?_

I slowly opened my eyes and the Queen Elsa's worried face was a couple of inches from my nose: she was gently holding my head between her freezing hands. As I regained she made a little and uncertain smile, but after a second her expression turned blank as always.

_Perhaps, under her glacial behaviors, there are some feelings. How can she be so inanimate?_

" Well! Now I have to suture your opened wound and disinfect It, before It could get infected! Please … I know It'll burn but try to not move."

I nodded, my eyes were still sparkling but I was completely awake: I took a rapid look around me and I noticed I was into a large bed room.

The Queen arrived after a while with a package full of medical devices and she came closer to me: she grabbed my shirttails from my sides and she gently pulled It up, leaving my stomach completely naked, till she reached my breast and she stopped her climb. I blushed a bit and she seemed hesitant for a while, no one ever saw me half-naked. She took a little cloud of cotton and, after having poured on It a bit of a pink substance, she leaned It on my opened wound. The pain suddenly ran through all my body and a sob escaped from my closed mouth: what was she putting on my skin?

" AAGH!"

My back arched a bit to endure better the pain but she pressed a cold hand on my abdomen to make me climb down: I shivered a bit.

" Miss Cavendish, don't move please! Or It will take more time that It real needs!"

I smiled with sadness, grinning my teeth to endure better the pain.

" I'll try my best, my majesty!"

I had just accepted her challenge and she continued to softly medicate me. I could feel her cold fingers running to and fro the opened line of my wound and I was literary amazed for her rapidity and extreme precision. But suddenly an important question got my blank thoughts …

… _H-How I got that injury?_

Hans' hopeless eyes were the first thing which came into my mind, as a flash of a lightning into a clear sky, suddenly all the scenes of his death materialized in front of me as a real nightmare … He died because of me, he was out of control and I remembered the madness he put on his unexpected movement. A pain, bigger than the one produced by my opened wound, ran through my veins and as I just felt It, I wasn't capable to restrain: a cold tear appeared on my cheek and died on my half-opened mouth.

… _Hans! W-Why did you do that?! How … How could I be able to tell your family the story of your death?! You were my best soldier!_

Despite I clenched my fists, a sob escaped from my mouth again and I didn't pay attention If the Queen noticed It: I was a criminal, a person with no hopes, with any chances to have a peaceful life or finding a soul-mate. He believed in me because I was his captain, his guide and … I disappointed him so much for my irresponsibility and my inability that he committed suicide!

_Probably the only way to reach my interior peace and save more persons is my death! _

My wet eyes got lost on the little white and woody marquetry of the dark blue ceiling, carried by the flow of this thought.

" I've just finished to suture your opened wound, Miss Cavendish! Now you have to stay on the bed for the rest of the day. When you'll be capable to stay on your feet, you'll burn your soldier and then …"

I breathed out the words which ended perfectly her speech.

" Then you'll kill me as agreed, my majesty. Thank you for having nursed me! You are a good person beside your regale roles!"

She observed my smile full of sadness, astonished for a while, but immediately her eyes went serious and blank again, as always.

" I didn't mean this … But It sounded as you wish It. Do you really want to die?"

I started crying against my control.

" Yes!"

Queen Elsa grinned a bit.

" Gidayu! Call please two guards and order them to carry Miss Cavendish to her room. She has to rest!"

The little man nodded and ran out from the room to complete his order: suddenly, a suffocating silence filled the room.

" How coward you are!"

I breathed deeper.

" I'm not a coward, my majesty!"

She smiled living me completely astonished and angry and then she came closer to me: her blue eyes sparkled with challenge and then she grabbed my chin with her cold right hand.

" Yes you are, Miss Cavendish! You are a coward If you think your death will solve everything! Ninety-nine warriors need a good captain who lights the darkness of their roads … But If you want to die … I'll kill you as agreed!"

The two guards suddenly entered in the room with a woody gurney and I went out, living the Queen without her answer and, the last thing I saw, was the sadness printed on her eyes.

The night arrived and the moonlight was calling me: I tried to move from my bed and despite my wound was burning, I was able to reach the window and climb on the proof. I carried with me my blanket and I leaned on the gold shingles to rest, as Queen Elsa told me.

I had a big question to solve and my soul needed an answer. I inspired the perfume of an imminent autumn carried by a cold breeze and I got lost as always on a blue pastel skyline. My eyes ran immediately towards the direction of the village, where my soldiers were and I was sure they were just informed by guards that Hans was died.

Surely half an hour was passed and the full-moon of that night, was sparkling strongly all around the landscape. A lot of stars were on the sky as a waterfall of diamonds on a dark blue towel: a strange energy ran through my body and for the first time, the confusion on my mind seemed to be clearer.

_The queen Is right … I'm not so sure that no one will sacrifice himself after my death and Kristoff, surely, Isn't able to carry on his shoulder the weight of such an important role …_

I felt a freezing blow of air running behind me and I understood: she had just come to watch over me … As always.

" I told you to rest on your bed! Why are you here Miss Cavendish?"

Her authoritative voice made me smile.

" I just can't miss a call from that place, my majesty! I born into the darkness … The night is my element and the moon is my sun! The moon is so freezing, distant and alone, but It has stars which help It lighting all the night! I'm just hoping to find my star, sooner or later! The star which will make my life less dark!"

I turned my head to watch into her blue eyes and for the first time, I saw her impenetrable mask breaking a bit: she was smiling motherly, my heart missed a beat and my soul felt lightweight for a second.

She breathed deeply.

" I got It!"

Queen Elsa took a sit near me and she decided to stay with me on the proof.

" It's very difficult, Miss Cavendish, being a Queen of an entire Island … Do you know? You have to protect thousands people and you have to do your best to keep them all live! If you are a bad one, your state will fall on a lot of wars and slowly you will see all you work burning and getting destroyed … When I was in difficult, I desired thousand times to die and I could kill myself thousand times too! … But despite you could be free after your death, the state would continue to fall and all your beloved will suffer more! I just couldn't abandon at themselves the people of my island, I had a lot of responsibilities and I had to keep them all alive! I had to give them my best as their Queen! This island needs a good guide … My death would cause more problem then resting alive and fight for finding any solution!"

I was completely astonished in front of her speech: she was able to open my closed eyes, she lighted my dark road and I realized she was my star. I've never felt that sensation of interior peace, nether when Queen Victoria gave me a second possibility: maybe continuing my career as the fourth colonel of my Queen wasn't the right road, maybe my real place, the place where I probably could find my little piece of heaven, was that island. That was the first time this doubt reached my mind … Which is my right place to live in?

I looked into her vivid blue eyes and she leaned her cold hand on my shoulder.

" This is the same for a captain , Miss Cavendish!"

I nodded sure of what I was going to answer her.

" As the captain of this expedition I tried to do my best to keep all my troop alive, but I failed! I've lost one of the most important soldier I've ever had and person I knew … But I have still the life of ninety-nine men on my shoulders and I can't abandon them, even If this will mean dying! I tried to find a solution but I risked to choose the simplest one: the dead! Solutions are always difficult to find and now I've understood what I have to do … I've understood which is my road! Tomorrow I'll burn Hans' body and after his funeral, every kind of choice you'll make on my count, my majesty, I'll be happy! You lighted my dark way as a star, Queen Elsa, and I'll never forget that!"

I smiled and I saw her blushing suddenly: she turned away her head to cover her cheeks shyly and I felt warmer for her extreme cuteness, I was sure of what I was going to do and surely I wasn't regretful about what I've just said.

" I'm not going to kill you Miss Cavendish … I mean, not now nor after the funeral of your friend! I got moved for your solid temperament! You behaved as a good captain when he stabbed you."

I smiled with sadness at her first compliment.

" Thank you my majesty! I-I just did my best to save him, despite he was stronger than me!"

" I'm an orphan too, Miss Cavendish"

I was literary astonished for her unexpected confession she made to change the direction of the speech.

She got lost on the skyline as I was used to do … What was she doing? Was she going to open a bit with me? Why?

She smiled with sadness too, and hugged her perfect legs: she was wearing a white and blue kimono that night and she was elegant as ever.

" My parents were killed by a powerful clan who was resenting our crown, when I was five. I was adopted by a couple of old peasants and the clan Sadanobu arise! When I was ten and I discovered to have powers, I started training myself to control them and at the age of fourteen, I killed all the members of the clan Sadanobu, completing my vengeance and I freed the island from their dictatorship. I was celebrated as the new Queen and the only survived of the clan Tokugawa … And my emperor began! The year after, my adoptive parents died and I was alone. In three years I solved all the problem the dictatorship caused and, when people discovered my powers, they started venerating me! Now we are even, Miss Cavendish!"

I was astonished but I didn't understand the end of his revelation: she surely saw the doubt on my expression so she breathed and looked me.

" The first day we met, Miss Cavendish, you told me about your past and now I told you mine … That's why we're even!"

I nodded but I didn't speak so she did the same and a peaceful silence filled the atmosphere: Queen Elsa turned again towards me to see directly my eyes and we made an eye contact, my heart started beating faster … Why was I feeling so strange?

" Are you afraid of me … Miss Cavendish?"

For the first time she seemed fragile and I saw the reflection of my childhood into her blue eyes.

" I'm a monster too my Queen … How could I be feared by a person who had my same horrible childhood? Since the first day you showed yourself at me, here, where we are sat now, I always saw the same shadows I had, behind your blue eyes! I'm not afraid of you, my majesty, we fought against the same demons … I'm not feared, I'm happy … Happy to have found an ally and a good person as you! You lighted my road Queen Elsa!"

She looked me hesitant with her mouth half-opened, she surely wanted to say something but she wasn't able: her body started shiver a bit and a cold hand leaned on my right cheek and slowly caressed my face. Also Queen Victoria sometimes complimented with me, doing that gesture but I've never felt so good as with the one Queen Elsa gifted me: I accompanied with my head her movement to make the caress during more and I closed my eyes to feel better the feeling of warm … The feeling of peace!

When I opened again my eyes, I saw a diamond tear ran free on the pale side of her face … Was she crying because of me?!

" Oh no … A-Are you crying because of me, my majesty?!"

A big and true smile curved her lips and I admired her beauty in silence, smiling too.

" No Miss Cavendish, don't worry!"

She leaned a kiss on my forehead and, saying goodnight, she disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Astonished, I leaned a shaking hand where she had just kissed me, I immediately blushed and a little sob escaped from my mouth: I had never imagined she was so cute behind her regal rules.

After some minutes, passed looking the horizon, to say goodbye at the moon as the lonely wolf I was, I went to bed and I desperately tried to sleep, but nightmares got me again, as always.


	4. Death and fireflies

**Ciao a tutti! ( This is my mother language)**

**I'm happy to see that a lot of people is following my fan fiction! You are all so kind! :3**

**Otherwise, that chapter is the beginning of something new, first is longer than the previous one and second is the sweetest I've ever wrote! But … Something unexpected will happen! **

**I wrote this chapter in three hours ( a record) because I had just all locked into my mind before …**

**And both the songs " Moonlight" and " kiss the rain" of Yiruma helped me a lot, especially with the creation of the atmosphere melancholic at first and bracing after! ;) **

**Said that, I wish you a good read as always! **

A cold morning arrived and I opened my eyes slowly: outside the windows, the sun was rising and all around me and in the room, a pink pastel light was coloring the white walls. I woke up and I sat for a while on the puckered blankets: a heavy silence filled the atmosphere, nether the birds was singing that morning.

I wore a black kimono, I rolled my hair into a bun, I grabbed two woody crutches and I opened the door to go out: right in front of me, on the opposite side of the corridor, Queen Elsa was waiting my arrival and when she saw me, she extended her left hand to help and grab me. We walked along the long and desert corridors of the castle, behind me there was my dear friend Gidayu and, after fifteen minutes, we reached the principal door: we stopped behind the closed-door and the Queen gently released her grab ,to look directly into my eyes with a worried expression, I've never seen.

" I have to stop here, Miss Cavendish. You know that I don't show my appearance to anyone! But despite of all, you have Gidayu at your side!"

The man smiled at me and nodded, I thanked him silently with a look and then I turned again my eyes towards the Queen.

" Are you sure to be able to stand on your feet for all the time, Miss Cavendish?"

" Yes I can, my majesty! Thank you for your help!"

I smiled with sadness and, with my loyal friend, I grabbed hesitant the two enormous doorknobs, to open the gate, and with a deep breath I went out: in front of me, ninety-nine men was looking down, down to Hans' dead body, which was leaned on a woody stretcher, all covered by white and blue flowers. His expression was so peaceful that It seemed he was only sleeping: as I went outside, all my warriors looked me and their eyes got full of different emotions, Kristoff's ones were full of hope, the hope of knowing how he died.

I caressed his cold face and then we walked toward the garden to begin the funeral: in the middle of a wonderful autumnal landscape still full of dew, I did the ceremony, pronouncing my speech and then,we burned him. A lot of brown and burned petals flew away from the remains as they were carrying his soul with them.

I tried not to cry, to look strong in front of all my warriors but, when Kristoff hugged me, I was no longer able to resist and all my contrasting emotions spilled out from my green eyes. But I knew I wasn't alone, especially when I felt a little cold breeze running behind me, and so I understood, Queen Elsa was secretly following the ceremony from the proof, hidden somewhere.

When the funeral ended, I put his remains into a grey urn and I hugged It strongly: that was my latest goodbye. Kristoff grabbed gently my arm and, seeing his expression I understood I had to explain him everything. But I couldn't carry him away from the garden to avoid ruining the little trust I gained from the Queen, so I started to whisper near him.

" Hans told me everything about your intentions … You can't escape from here Kristoff, or the Queen will kill you all! She's venerated here as a God because she had powers and I saw what she can do with them! I gave my life in exchange for any of your outrages, but If you'll try to escape after my death, Kristoff … She'll kill you all in five minutes …"

He leaned a finger on my lips to silence me for a while and then he sadly smiled.

" Anna, He was the only one who was desiring to escape from here, only ten men supported him, but we know we had to stay here and wait for our Queen's arrival …"

I released a big breath of relief: thanks to God, I knew Kristoff and the others wouldn't be so crazy and unwary!

" Just … Tell me how is dead! I suppose that, the fact you are injured, is implied with his death!"

He had always been a silent boy, but I know he was also very intelligent and brilliant.

" I was on the proof the night all happened … I was looking the dark sky surrounded by stars when I saw him hidden in the garden. He climbed up and, when I explained him all the reasons why, his idea,was crazy he went mad! He stabbed me with a knife, but I restrained and I tried to make him ratiocinate … But, despite off all my desperate tries, he made suicide by throwing himself down, from the castle …"

Another cold tear spilled out from my red eyes and Kristoff bit her lower lip to endure his sadness.

" I tried my best Kristoff! Believe me!"

" I …I believe you Anna! You are the best captain I've ever had! So you don't have to excuse! Hans was weak and you always knew that! … But I just want to know the truth from you ... Will Victoria save all of us?"

My heart stopped working immediately because of his question: What should I do? Lie with Kristoff, as I did with Hans, or being sincere and told him that we were hopeless?

" She'll save us Kristoff! We have only to wait other four months here!"

I looked into her hopeful and expressive brown eyes to be more credible and he totally believed me … Yes, I'd chosen to lie again!

When suddenly I felt a freezing breeze caressing gently my shoulders, I understood I had to go back to the castle: I hugged one by one all my trusted soldier and I gave some instructions to Kristoff to be a good leader during the next four months. Gidayu grabbed nicely my arm and we slowly came back.

As I closed the heavy door behind me, Queen Elsa didn't showed herself and I went directly into my bed room with the urn: Gidayu helped me with the stairs and, after twenty minutes I reached my room. My wound was burning a lot and, falling on the pavement, turned-out from all my energies, I cried again. Afer some time, when I found the strength to stand up, I leaned the urn on the woody desk and I noticed a white letter on my bed: I took It between my hands and the perfume of white roses caught my attention.

I opened It with my shaking hands … Was It from the Queen?

' _Take a relaxing bath, wear the kimono and follow the guard. I will wait you for the dinner. Be ready when the sun will raise down, you have all the afternoon to get ready so don't make me wait. Queen Elsa'_

Her style of writing was elegant and her signature was an art work, I blushed and I started shivering for the strange feeling I felt: I was just invited by the Queen, to dinner with her … What should I do?

_I think I've only to follow what she told me to do… So I'll dinner with her and now I'll go to the thermal bath!_

I ate only four pieces of sushi with Gidayu and my personal guard during the lunch and, as I planned, after an hour, I leaned a naked foot on the hot water. I swam a bit to enjoy the temperature of the water and suddenly I remembered the first time I saw the Queen: It was here, exactly on this thermal bath. I turned my head to see If there was still the little hole in the wall … And there was!

_Maybe Queen Elsa is taking a bath … Will I be able to see again her black and wonderful tattoo? I'm curious!_

I giggled quietly for my childish behavior, but I thought It was best to distract me for a bit, not to think at my imprisonment and Hans's dead body.

I slowly came near to the hole with my right eye, to find out what there could be behind It, but I saw nothing: so, disappointed, I entered again into the water and I passed there an hour: I tried a lot of different perfumed oils and, when I felt reinvigorated, I went out and I dried myself. My freckled skin was smelling of oranges and my hair of strawberry and suddenly I felt hungry: my stomach groaned wildly, but I had still two hours to wait for the dinner, so I decided to run into my bedroom, wear my kimono and take a walk around the beautiful garden to get distracted.

When I opened the door, I saw on my bed a wonderful dark green kimono with black flowers embroidered on: I grabbed It and I smelled her essence of roses on Its soft tissue … Was Queen Elsa entered into my room and personally brought here that kimono?

I blushed again and, wearing It, I decided to tie my hair into a low ponytail because I wanted to seem a bit elegant for my special dinner and a bit feminine.

I was walking on the garden, accompanied by the guard, when I saw a little bushes of violet flowers near my feet,I stopped, I gently picked one and I wore It on my hair, just to seem more feminine: I turned my head to see the sunset and the guard gentle smiled at me, the landscape was amazing as always, a lot of trees with leaves of different colors, from the light yellow to a deep dark red and my heart was running as a wild horse, inside my poor little chest.

_This island never ceases to amaze me! These landscapes are so peaceful … Maybe here … Here I could live a perfect life: no matter If I won't find my soul-mate … I'll be part of Queen Elsa's warriors and I'll live near the castle in my little woody house … I'll be a part of Queen Elsa's ... Queen Elsa ... Maybe she could be my ..._

I shook my head to cut that impossible and egoistic thought and I grabbed the arm of the guard, who told me It was time to go.

He accompanied me to the room, where Queen Elsa was waiting me and he left me, completely alone, in front of a big blue and white woody door: I was literary out of breaths for my anxiety …

_What should I do now? God help me please! J-Just help me to keep calm! Why ami I so nervous?!_

I knocked gently and shyly on the woody surface and the authoritative voice of Queen Elsa gave me the permission to enter inside: when I opened the heavy door, I saw an empty room with a low table placed on the middle, two white pillows at both sides, a lot of perfumed cream candles laid in order, all around the pavement and four big windows opened on four amazing landscapes … We were at the latest floor of the castle!

" I'm happy to see that I'd chosen a good kimono for you, Miss Cavendish … It fits you perfectly!"

I jumped for her sudden arrival and I turned myself to see her, blushing for what she had just said: She was at the entrance of the room, rightly behind me and … She was simply amazing: her platinum hair were joined into an ordered lateral tail, her lips were dark red because of the make-up she had, her blue eyes were simply wonderful under the little shade of a white eyelashes, she was wearing a sleeveless dark blue kimono with pink cherry flowers on her back and a little lateral tear was showing perfectly her wonderful left leg.

" T-Thank you my majesty! This kimono Is very beautiful!"

I bowed and she smiled, giving me the permission to stand up.

" Take a sit, Miss Cavendish! I'll be back in five minutes!"

With her elegant walk she went out from the room for a while and I released my breaths … All my muscles were shaking and I had no idea how to behave, because I had never taken my dinner with a Queen … Especially with Queen Elsa, the most wonderful woman I've ever seen in my entire life! So I decided to make big breath to slow down my heart, which was running wildly.

_C'mon Anna … You have to focus! Do not bad figures because this is a great opportunity ,you'll never have again in your poor life! Enjoy the moment and just enjoy the peaceful atmosphere! _

After a while she came back carrying on her hands a big tray full of dainties and sushi … When my green eyes met hers smily ones and I saw what she had, I got my mouth agape in front of so many good things …

" Shall I help you my majesty?"

I tried to stand up but she stopped me with an authoritative glare.

" No Miss Cavendish! You are my host and you have only to relax and enjoy the food I've cooked! ... For our diner, I chose an intimate and a peaceful atmosphere without any guards around… I wanted that ... Because I trust you! ... And I wished to have some relax from my job!"

My mouth went agape again … And she smiled motherly with fun.

" H-Have you cooked all these amazing things for … For me?!"

My eyes went wet at her nod and she seemed astonished for my reaction … I saw her, blushing a bit.

" Yes I did!"

Without thinking on what I was doing, my body moved without my permission and I hugged her!

" Thank you very much, my majesty! No one has ever done this for me … No one! This is amazing! Than you! Thank you! And thank you!"

I smelled her inebriant fragrance of white roses and I felt her body shapes pressed against mine … And I immediately realized what was happening …

_Anna … What are you doing?!_

I felt her jumping a bit for my unexpected behavior and I immediately got away from her, red for the shame …

_Oh no! What did I do …?! I promised me not to do bad figures …_

Quickly I started to gesticulate awkwardly to excuse, but I seemed only funny and so I completed my bad figure .

" I-I'm s-Sorry Queen Elsa! F-Forgive me! I just got carried by my childish enthusiasm!"

I looked into her blue and shiny eyes and she laughed a bit … I immediately felt relieved but my heart stopped for a while! What was happening to me?

" Don't worry Miss Cavendish! ve appreciated your hug! Now let's eat something, because I suppose you're hungry!"

I tasted everything that was on the tray and we never lost our magnetic eye contact: everything was simply delicious and I was happy to be able to eat with chopsticks, thanks to all the training I did before, with Gidayu. I ate classy and she never looked away from me, smiling and enjoying the dinner too.

" What do you think about my dishes, Miss Cavendish?"

Queen Elsa broke the peaceful silence and I swallowed before speaking, because I wanted to avoid other bad figures and keep untouched my classy style of eating, just to make a good impression on her.

" I've never eaten something so delicious! Every piece of these deliciousness bring me on the heaven! You are amazing at cooking my majesty! And you are also a good person and a good Queen!"

" T-Thank you Miss Cavendish … I-I'm happy to hear that from you!"

She blushed and looked away for a moment to cover her wonderful red cheeks and I smiled: I've never felt so good before in all my entire life, and in that moment I felt, for the first time, as if the island and the Queen were my real home.

We ended the delicious dinner and I felt pleasantly satisfied. The Queen immediately stood up to clear the little table and I helped her: our hands touched for a while taking a dish and I released the grab.

" I-I'm sorry!"

" Don't worry Miss Cavendish!"

We both smiled and we continued to clean silently.

" I told you, you were my host, but thank you for your help … You surely have good manners!"

I thanked her for her compliment, happy to have accomplished my mission.

_Good job Anna! You impressed her with your good behaviour!_

We cleaned everything and, when we finished, we leaned on the board of one opened window to admire the landscape: I saw a little lake not so far from the castle and after a minute, I saw a little yellow light flying in front of my nose: I had never seen that kind of insect and the Queen gently smiled, noticing my doubtless expression.

" It's a firefly, Miss Cavendish! It's an insect which show Itself only during this period ... And It's beautiful!"

I looked her without saying a single word, but I nodded and her eyes suddenly lighted with an idea.

" Shall I show you a place, Miss Cavendish?"

My attention got lost on the curves of her red lips but I immediately regained and I smiled with curiosity.

" S-Sure my majesty!"

" Ok! So, follow me! Among twenty minutes … Oh let's go! You'll see It when we will reach the place! Trust me Miss Cavendish!"

She grabbed my hand nicely with her cold ones and we went out: she wasn't the authoritative Queen I met the first time, she was the real Elsa …And that was the real personalities she had, behind her impenetrable mask!

We enjoyed our time running along the garden towards the mysterious place, Elsa wanted to show me, and we entered into a wonderful wood: a powerful moonlight was lighting our way and all around us the nature was sleeping, only some cicadas were singing. After fifteen minutes, we arrived at the lake and I tripped on a root falling on the ground.

" OUCH!"

My wound started bruising and I pressed my hand against It to endure better the pain.

" Are you all right, Miss Cavendish?!"

Immediately I felt two cold hands leaning on my shoulders.

" D-Don't worry my majesty …"

I desperately tried to stand up, but a flash of pain stopped my way.

"OUCH!"

Turning my face I saw her worried expression and I suddenly felt guilty, I didn't want to worry her, I didn't want to ruin her happiness! So I tried with all my strength, to endure the pain.

"I-I'm ok!"

She snorted cutely.

" You aren't all right, Miss Cavendish! Let me help you!"

" T-Thank you!"

I tried to stand up and she helped me grabbing gently my arm and leaning a hand on my ribcage: after a while, I was again on my feet but this time she was sustaining me with her arm wiped around my right side.

" It's painful ... Am I right? You pushed yourself too far this morning! Your wound need to be followed and cleaned and you need to rest!"

Her blue eyes went sad immediately.

" It's all my fault, Miss Cavendish! I hadn't let you go to the funeral! You had to rest!"

I was a bit confused by her reaction but I understood she was really caring about me, so I decided to thank her, despite I was a bit astonished.

" I'm sorry my majesty, but I'm still a bit weak!"

" OF COURSE YOU ARE! You got stabbed two days ago! And I let you make the situation worse by walking on It, all morning! It's due to me If you are feeling hurt now!"

She bit her lower lip and her angry expression was so cute that I hardly held my smile.

" It's not your fault, my majesty! It's my stubbornness to be!"

She smiled a bit and her attention got caught by something behind me: her eyes lighted of little yellow points and she looked me smiling motherly and excited.

" Don't worry, Miss Cavendish … Now enjoy the magic of this place!"

I turned myself to see the lake and suddenly, at the blue pastel light of the moonlight a lot of fireflies started flying and dancing all around Its dark blue surface and the landscape soon was filled of gold little flying light bulbs … The atmosphere became simply breathless!

" That is … That is amazing … My majesty!"

My green eyes were shining in front of a such wonderful spectacle of nature, but hers were amazingly beautiful!

" Did you see It Miss Cavendish? Only in that period of the year you can see this spectacle …"

With a big act of courage I grabbed her cold hand and she jumped for It.

" Thank you for having brought me here! And thank you for the dinner! No … Thank you for this wonderful night and for having nursed me … Thank you for everything my majesty!"

She turned slowly towards me and pressed her cold finger on my lips to stop the flow of my emotions and she smiled.

" Just … Enjoy this spectacle Miss Cavendish!"

She giggled a bit and I did what she had just suggested me ... She was right: the landscape needed the silence to be enjoyed fully. After ten minutes we sat near silently and we continued to contemplate the lake: a lot of thoughts reached my mind in that moment but only one caught my attention: could be this, the place where I'll found my interior peace?

I watched Queen Elsa for a while and the answer came out by itself, spilling out from my smile.

" Yes … It is!"

She turned towards me to look into my green eyes, with a doubting expression printed on her face, and I understood, I had just realized which way I should go.

" N-Nothing! I-I'm sorry!"

I smiled, red because of my shyness, and she grinned a bit.

" You know, Miss Cavendish … I really like strawberries! And … Oranges!"

I got paralyzed in front of her mischievous and amused smile … And the answer at her strange sentence came immediately at my mind ... Did she choose my oils, personally?!

My mouth went agape again and she laughed!

" Yes I chose your oils!"

She smiled with satisfaction and my mind went black in front of such a beauty …

We were watching into our eyes silently, me red as a tomato and her, elegant and authoritative as ever, when a frantic beating of wings caught my attention: I raised for a while my eyes and I saw the carrier pigeon leaned on a near tree with a white piece of paper on Its right leg!

And I immediately realized… My Queen, Victoria, had answered me!


End file.
